Sleeping Not So Rough

Posted on 21 Feb 2015 @ 5:53pm by Petty Officer 3rd Class Vermeer Talbot & Crewman Ash Rowe

1,558 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Main Shuttlebay, Deck 4, USS Galileo
Timeline: MD -27: 22:00 hours

ON:

Vermeer Talbot sighed contently to himself as he shifted, eyes closed. He had found a place to sleep now. The shuttle was quiet, as no one was doing anything to it anyway. It was calm, it wasn't big...he had a wall against his back and knew the space. It was...safer. Made him feel safer. And even better, there was no screaming. No sitting there awake, everything hurting as he tried to work on things that would take his mind off the noise.

Screaming was something Ver heard in his nightmares anyway, he never had the need for hearing it when awake. He frowned as he heard something, reaching for something to hold...just in case this wasn't a friendly head poking in.

"Vermeer?" Ash moved through to the figure curled up, peering to check she was right. "It is you....what the hell are you doing sleeping in my shuttle?"

Vermeer frowned as he sat up, taking a deeper breath. "It's quiet here. No babies," he admitted, shrugging as he watched her. "My...roomie, she has a kid. Noisy thing as well and...we had a bit of a falling out."

"Ahhh...." Ash moved to sit crossed legged, watching him with a small smile. "And you thought about bunking down in the shuttle, huh? Creative..."

"It's nice enough," he said and smiled, shaking his head. "Sorry for occupying your baby. I just know Ops will send me right back and...I don't want to."

Ash waved a hand before giving a grin. "Oh don't worry about it. I never saw nothing," she winked to him. "It's not like she needs taking out. Besides, she's still recovering from all those nasty tribbles. You can't be any worse an intruder...." she teased.

"I keep her clean," he said and smiled, shaking his head as he watched her. "Thanks Ash...I appreciate it, you know."

"This can't be good though," she shook her head with concern, tilting her head as she watched him with honest, blue eyes. "You're exhausted, and this is temporary. You need something...proper."

"It'll do until we get to the starbase," he said with a warm smile, shaking his head. "Thanks for the thought though, I'm fine..."

"You're a fibber," she tsked with a small, knowing smile, tapping her temple gently.

He chuckled and nudged her, shrugging. "Well, it doesn't matter that much. It's only temporary anyway. Promise. I promise."

"Hm, alright then. Otherwise I'm going to have kick arses," Ash teased as she watched him with fond eyes. "Are you hungry though? We could go and grab something in the mess...?"

He met her eyes before giving a firm, almost eager nod. "I am starving. I could do with something fried and comforting. Maybe even starchy?" just the though made his mouth water, regardless of how tired he was.

"Sounds like a burger and chips to me...." she laughed softly as she hopped up, brushing herself down and offering her hands down to him to help pull him up. "Come on, mister..."

He grinned as he pulled her close to a quick hug. "Burger sounds great," he said and nudged her. "Extra pickles and everything."

Ash hugged him tight, rubbing his back reassuringly before leading him out with a grin. "Piled high...with tomato sauce all over the fries...and rings...onion rings....then you get to roll me home."

"I can do that," he said as he smiled, walking with her as he chuckled. "Even have a few drinks, you know. Some lovely drinks, something to enjoy...My treat?"

"Does that mean you're going to serve me?" she teased with warmth, slapping his side with the back of her hand. "You're already playing fast and loose with my girl bird, you hussy."

He grinned, watching her with awe at the words, at how easy she was with him. He liked Ash. He really...liked Ash. And he blushed as he looked away. "Yeah, well...she was the second best available for me to playing fast and loose with..."

"Only second best? Don't let her hear you say that, or she won't let you fly her," she tsked, but gave him a friendly grin.

"We'll keep it quiet," he promised, walking with her with warmth, shaking his head. "You're...so happy. Always seem so happy, Ash. It's addictive. And contagious!"

"Happy?" she replied with surprise, musing on it as she draped her arm casually around his shoulders as they walked. "Well I'm alive. Things around here got fixed. I'm not sleeping with a million tribbles in my bed. I'm still in one piece. Yeah, things are dandy. Dandy enough anyway."

"I love that about you," Vermeer said and nodded, considering it as he wrapped his arm around her waist without really thinking about it. "I can be like that too, when I get enough sleep! And I owe you drinks now..." he winked, smiling cheekily.

"See, now this is how I get on in life," she smiled, warmed to see him in a better mood already. "And when you've got your energy back, I'm taking you racing, like it or not. That's enough to get anyone's head back together."

He smiled at what she was saying, shaking his head. "Oh man, I might be rubbish...actually, scratch that, it will be an adventure! Some adrenaline flowing...I need it. Need something...different, you know?" he met her eyes, searching them with hope.

"Then racing it is," Ash grinned, nodding firmly, making the decision there and then. "I might even let you win if you bat your eyelashes enough at me."

"So my eyelashes would work on someone as pretty as you?" he asked, with a grin as he met her eyes. "That would truly be something!"

"What can I say, I must just be easy..." Ash shook her head with a soft chuckle.

"No," he shook his head, watching her with warmth. "Not easy. Real. You're real and unapologetically you," he said and led her with him, chuckling with good humour. "You are all a person should be to have a good life."

"It's not always good," Ash said softly, a half smile showing at that before she quickly shook it away for a brighter one again. "But the crap bits make the good bits feel even better."

Vermeer watched her for a moment before wrapping his arm firmly around her. "So we are going to have a good time? A nice meal, a proper chat? To make up for any bad ones?" he asked softly, with hope.

"Damn straight," she smiled, leading the way into the bar, breathing it in with a sigh. "Mmm....hops and oil....best mixture in the world...." she sang the last of the words, joining the queue. "Makes everything better you know. Bad missions. Borg. Zombies. Tribbles. No sleep."

"Yeah," Vermeer sounded distant, a slight frown on his face. "Tribbles were okay. Zombies not great. Borg...let's not repeat that any time soon, yeah?"

Ash looked across to him before rubbing his arm with a gentle smile. "We're still standing from the Venture."

"We are," he said with awe, smiling gently. "Some better than others. But we're alive. It's...what I am grateful for. So what if I weigh a bit more thanks to the scrap metal? At least I got my thick hair back!"

"And such lovely thick hair it is too," Ash grinned, shaking her head with a soft laugh. "You'll be alright, you know," she gave a firm nod, tapping her temple. "I can tell."

"Yeah? Telepath too?" he asked as he finally got to the food, sighing softly as he looked around. "Or my fortune teller?" he got burger, milkshake, chips...all the toppings he could think of for the chips and the burger too.

Ash matched him without shame for her appetite before leading him to sit down at a small table, stretching in her chair. "It's magic," she breathed with a playful smile. "Nah, I'm Betazoid," she shrugged lightly. "The blue eyes usually throw people. No, you'll be fine, I can see it in you. You got the strength."

"You're unique," he said with awe, smiling as he added some chips on his burger as well. "Beautiful and unique with it." And he thought she was way too cool.

Ash smiled warmly at the kind words, shaking her head lightly. "I'm not, you know. I just know when to keep my mouth shut even when I know what someone is thinking or feeling...I wasn't brought up on Betazed. But this time/ I think you should hear it."

He smiled at that, looking down at his food. "Well..I appreciate it," he said, meaning every world of it. "A lot, Ash. You are more than just a good friend."

"People like you and me, we've got to stick together," she assured with a warm smile and a wink, leaning close to steal a chip from his plate.

He grinned as he let her, nodding as he held her eyes. "I will. I promise...we stick together. No matter what, yeah?"

"No matter what, grease monkey," Ash grinned, leaning close to clink her glass to his.

OFF:

Petty Officer 3rd Class Vermeer Talbot
Engineering
USS Galileo

&

Crewman Ash Rowe
Support Craft Pilot
USS Galileo

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